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Skilled Nursing Facility

Many seniors are suffering from a sense of depression and there is no single definitive answer to the exact cause of depression in seniors. This is because depression is a multifaceted disease. Many healthcare experts believe that some people are prone to depression due to their biological makeup and when this is triggered by traumatic events like the loss of a loved one, changes in independence, or some other crisis, it can result in depression. Some of the most important factors that can increase the chances of depression in seniors are:

• Stressful events and experiences
• Change of residence
• Lack of social support network
• Gender

The good side of clinical depression is that it is treatable. Some of the most effective depression therapies are the use of antidepressant medication, electroconvulsive therapy, psychotherapy, etc.

Helping Your Senior Loved One With Depression 

Friends and family might easily overlook depression in seniors thinking that it a natural part of aging, or a side effect of some medication. When the red flags are ignored and the illness goes untreated, it might even lead to life-threatening problems for elderly people. Many studies show that depression in seniors is associated with an elevated threat of heart diseases, death, and suicide. It can also impact the ability of a senior to rehabilitate after an injury or disease.

If your senior loved one is showing signs and symptoms of depression, you need to be proactive and seek help from a mental health professional in a nearby health and wellness center. A few of the most commonly observed signs and indicators of depression in seniors are:

• Loss of appetite
• Lose of weight or weight gain
• Lack of or excess of sleep
• Demanding behavior
• Delusions
• Social withdrawal

Clinical depression can last for many days, weeks, or months and if not treated at the right time, it can reach a state where treatment will not be effective. Therefore, you need to act quickly when any depression-related symptoms are seen in your senior loved ones.

The experienced staff in many assisted living and skilled nursing facility can encourage seniors to exercise regularly and socialize with the residents to overcome the effects of depression. Exercising can release endorphins which can boost our mood and thereby helps decrease the feelings of depression. Besides, social life can provide seniors with friendships, and increased capacity to overcome depression.